Taken
by iamFez
Summary: Some of the human residents of Roswell find strange things happening to them. UC/CC. Part 8 (Updated 09/04)
1. Default Chapter

Taken 

by Fez

Rating: PG-13

Category: UC/CC 

Disclaimer: Roswell and Roswell High book and all it's characters and settings and elements belong to Melinda Metz, Jason Katims Production; and UPN Network. No infringement intended.

Author's notes: Okay this idea has been at me for a while and today I just started to write it. Now it hasn't been beta read so if there's any mistakes then I apologise now. It's gonna be an alternative season 2 and I'm having it set about 4 months after Viva Las Vegas. That means everything after VLV didn't happen. Also I really liked some of the things from the Roswell High books, which are going to pop up in this. I was inspired to write this after seeing the first episode of the mini-series Taken, but really this idea has been brewing for months now so this isn't based on that show. The only thing taken (no pun intended) from it is the title, and if anything else seems the same then it's just a coincidence since really I've only seen the first episode and nothing more of the series.

Now I haven't decided on the UC ships, well I have a few, but I don't know how the ships will turn out overall.

*****

Where are we?

I don't know...

What's that noise?

What?

Did you hear that?

Hello? Is someone there?

Please don't... Stop!

HELP!!!!!!!!

Alex Whitman shot up in his bed panting hard. He closed his eyes as he tried to slow his breathing. Already the nightmare was beginning to recede and he now couldn't remember that much, only voices. The voices were still strong in his mind and he knew that one of them was his own. The other voices however, some that he recognised while others he didn't. Whatever he had been dreaming about it had felt real, so real that he had woke up terrified. He was still trembling from the dream. He wiped at his brow to find sweat there that hadn't just been caused by the normal warm weather that could be found in Roswell, New Mexico on a night like this.

Pulling back the sheets he swung his legs over the side of the bed. He glanced at the clock and gave a heavy sigh. It was only just after three o'clock. He had only been asleep for two hours yet oddly he felt fully awake. That had been happening a lot lately.

Walking over to his window, he leaned against the frame and glanced up at the sky which was blanketed with stars. He felt a shiver go through him, one that was definitely not like the warm tingle that he had felt a year and a half ago when he gazed at the stars with Isabel Evans.

This was one of fear.

*****

Sean DeLuca tapped lightly on his legs. After tossing and turning for half an hour he was now giving up hope of ever returning to sleep. He had awoken with a start from a nightmare that he now couldn't recall, and was finding it hell returning to the land of nod. He was in the process of counting sheep, but at the same time knew he was fighting a losing battle since he didn't even feel remotely tired anymore.

He quickly glanced at the clock. It was half past four in the morning and he didn't even go to bed until almost half two. Oh, well, he thought idly as he finally gave up hope of slumber and got out of bed. He quietly got out of his room and walked down the hall towards the living room in the hope not to waken his Aunt Amy and his cousin Maria who occupied the other two small bedrooms.

He tiptoed across the slightly messy parlour and plumped himself down in front of the sofa. He switched on the television set and quickly turned down the volume using the remote control. Starting up the playstation he smirked as Tekken Tag Tournament loaded onto the screen. If he wasn't going to get any sleep then he might as well get more of the characters to play.

He was five minutes into fighting King, Anger of the Beast, when he heard a bedroom door open. He looked up and grimaced when he saw Maria frown at him. Damn he thought he had kept it down, though he did swear when King had gotten the better of him.

"What're you doing up?" Maria asked him, her bare feet padding down the hall.

Sean shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. You?"

"Me neither," Maria shrugged back at him.

"So I didn't wake you with..." he pointed his joypad at the screen.

Maria shook her head as she sat down on the sofa. "I was already awake. Have been for the past forty minutes."

"It must be something in the water," Sean was already turning his attention back to the game. "I've been up for a while too."

They descended into silence and soon the only thing that could be heard was the tapping of buttons on Sean's joypad.

"Aren't you tired though?" Maria asked curiously.

"Nope," was Sean's distracted reply. When he heard fidgeting behind him he paused the game and looked at Maria over his shoulder. "Why can't you sleep?"

Maria was looking at the screen. "I don't know. I had a nightmare..."

Sean turned around and looked at her fully as she continued.

"It was weird. All I remember was voices."

"What kind of voices?" Sean asked curiously, recalling his own nightmare and the voices that had haunted him afterwards.

"Distant. Weird. Like they were scared or something."

Maria now looked anxious as she remembered what she could. Sean himself was beginning to feel a shiver up his spine at his own memories, and knowing that Maria had the same kind of dream was spooking him no end. He shook his head as if in an attempt to shred away the voices in his head and quickly tossed another joypad towards Maria.

"Here. I'll challenge you."

Maria looked down at the joypad as if coming out of her own trance. "I'm not into video games."

"Of course you are," Sean smirked as he turned back around towards the television set. "This game was here before I was."

Maria was already sliding down beside him. "Yeah, but the reason why I don't play this anymore is because it was easy to beat. Just like you," she finished with a smirk.

Sean gave a small laugh. "Yeah, yeah, sure it was. I'm Chang."

"Oh, please, what do you not feel masculine enough to actually play as a guy?"

"What can I say I've got a feminine side."

As the fight began on screen, Sean still couldn't shake the feeling that something strange was happening, and for the life of him he couldn't tell what it was.  



	2. Part 2

A/N: All disclaimers and author's notes are in Part 1.

*****

Kyle Valenti hummed along with the music that he had playing on the radio that was in the small bathroom. He felt refreshed, more so than he had in a long time. Which wasn't bad for a man who was only getting about two hours sleep every night. It was strange, he never thought that anyone could ever feel so good on such a weird sleep pattern. But, things were usually strange in Roswell, New Mexico. He did know four aliens after all. And that itself would be strange to anyone. Though living with one of them might make him that little more stranger. 

He put his toothpaste onto the toothbrush before running cold water onto it to make the paste softer. He quickly put the brush into his mouth and began to brush his teeth. Looking into the mirror he carefully made sure he applied the paste to all his teeth. Hmm, this tasted good. Tess must have bought the kind that tasted like gum again. Though it somehow reminded him of the paste that usually tasted awful. But for some reason this time it felt good in his mouth.

Taking a glass of water he rinsed out his mouth and reached for the mouthwash. Taking a shot he swirled it around his mouth before spitting it out. Now that had tasted even better than the toothpaste. He wondered if Tess had played a joke on him and put Tabasco sauce into them. He picked up the bottle and sniffed the top of it. He couldn't smell Tabasco, however the smell was beckoning him just like pancakes did on a Sunday. It couldn't hurt to try some could it?

Putting the bottle up to his mouth, he paused wondering if actually could it hurt him? He never heard of anyone drinking this stuff before, even Tess and the trio of little green Martians that polluted this town didn't drink this. He shrugged anyway and quickly took a drink before he could change his mind. God, this tasted good. It was like root beer. Well, actually it wasn't but it sure tasted better than it.

"Kyle!"

He jumped and dropped the bottle into the sink. He quickly picked it up again and was lucky to only have spilled a little of it. He turned around to see Tess still dressed in her pyjamas standing at the doorway with a disgusted look on her face.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"That's gross."

"You had ice cream on top of chilli last night, and you're calling me gross."

"Exactly," she said as she walked into the bathroom. "Even I wouldn't drink mouthwash."

Kyle wanted to retort, but at the moment he couldn't think of anything to say.

"Maybe those nightmares you've been having is making you crazy," Tess said in jest.

"I haven't had any nightmares for a few nights now."

Tess's eyes seemed to brighten. "That's good," she touched him lightly on the arm.

He felt a tingle in where her hand rested, and hoped that it didn't show anywhere else. Tess began to look away and he was sure that he saw a blush begin to creep up her neck. His own neck actually felt on fire. He wasn't sure when being around Tess had started to affect him like this, but it felt good to see that it was affecting her the same way.

"Now get out."

Kyle frowned. "What?"

"So I can shower, you have to you know… leave."

"Oh," Kyle felt his ears begin to burn as a mental image came into his head. He flustered as he quickly walked out of the door, before he regained his composure and turned around with a cheeky grin. "You know I don't really have to leave for that…"

"Out!" he felt himself being shoved out the door, and grinned as he caught a glimpse of Tess's red cheeks before the door was slammed on his face.

His grin then soon faded as realisation dawned on him. Even the aliens didn't drink mouthwash? What was he thinking drinking it then? Maybe Tess was right? Maybe the nightmares that had plagued him for a week were making him crazy.

*****

Maria DeLuca walked down the hall that led to Michael Guerin's apartment. Actually skipped, might be a better word to describe her actions. She felt great today, though there was always a nagging doubt in the back of her mind, but really she was in good spirits. She hadn't had a nightmare in a couple of days, but for some reason she was still awake at night after sleeping for only a couple of hours. Which meant that she also still kicking her cousin's ass at Tekken.

She opened up the door without knocking and entered the apartment. Michael looked up but didn't speak to her. He was too busy talking into the telephone.

"Sure you can," she heard him say. "Really it's no problem. You can stay here, I've got plenty of room."

Maria looked around the small apartment. It was a one bedroom apartment, and the only space left to sleep was the sofa bed. So whoever Michael was talking too, it was most likely that was going to be their sleeping quarters.

"Okay, I'll see you then," Michael said down the phone. "Bye."

"Who was that?" Maria asked as she sat down beside him on the sofa.

"Laurie. She wants to come stay for a while."

"Really," she smiled as she began to draw little circles on Michael's chest which was covered with a t-shirt. She was pleased for him. She knew that it had killed him not to be able to bring Laurie to Roswell with him since she was his only blood relative on the planet. After all that she had been through with aliens, living with another one might have been too much for her. But now that she was coming by her own choice, Maria knew that Michael was pleased.

"Yeah," Michael smiled at her. Yeah he was pleased. He didn't usually smile that much, and when he did it made Maria's heart skip a beat.

"So when is she arriving?"

"In a few days. She wants to drive down."

Maria nodded. She felt like going for a long drive herself a few weeks ago. In fact she and Alex had driven to Albuquerque to get some new equipment for their band, The Whits, but now for some reason she didn't feel like leaving Roswell at all. There was nowhere she wanted to be, and she had a feeling that had nothing to do with family or friends, or even Michael.

She turned to him and kissed him on the cheek. Not liking the thought that Michael Guerin wasn't the reason for keeping her in the small town that she had wanted to get out of since she was a child.

"C'mon, Spaceboy, you're taking me to lunch."

She stood up and reached out to pull him up. As soon as she touched him she felt a jolt and soon found herself flooded with images. Michael as a boy coming out of a pod. The same six-year-old boy hiding behind a rock as two children like him are taken into a car by the Evans. An eleven-year-old boy running out of a trailer as a man throws a beer bottle after him. Then a flash of Michael only a few years older sitting in a room crying while his nose bleeds. Then another images replaces that one with Michael looking at her while she works at the Crashdown Café when she is only about fifteen-years-old.

The flashes end, and Maria is panting hard while Michael looks at her with concern. He gets up quickly and holds her arms as she sways. She feels faint, and he sits her down on the sofa.

"What is it?" the concern is thick in his voice.

"I… had images," she says weakly. "Of you… with Max and Isabel… Hank…"

Michael's mouth tightens at the mention of his foster father's name.

"Michael, I saw things. Did you see anything?"

Michael gave her a curious look and shook his head. "We should tell the others…"

"No," Maria shook her head. "It's probably like what happened with Max and Liz last year. They had visions."

"But they both got visions. Why didn't I see you?"

Maria shook her head sadly. "I don't know."


	3. Part 3

Laurie Dupree tapped on the steering wheel in time with the music as she drove through the town of Roswell, New Mexico. She didn't know why but she had this uncontrollable urge to return to the town that had once been nothing but trouble for her, and she wasn't sure whether it was just to visit who she considered to be her only relative now left in this world, Michael Guerin.

But she was desperate to see him. She had been offering to stay for four months now, and had been begging him to come to Arizona but he always declined. It was always too dangerous. She was better off without him. Yeah, because being left alone without any relatives is always a good thing.

This time, however, she didn't allow him to refuse. She practically pleaded then told him determinedly that she was coming. They had argued on the matter for ten minutes, but then she felt a change in him and when she called back later to confirm that she was leaving he seemed to be happy for her to come to town.

Also there was something that she needed to talk to him about. For the past week she felt something strange was happening that she couldn't explain. She had been plagued with nightmares which wasn't anything new. She had been having them for four months now ever since her ordeal in Fraser Woods. But now it was a different kind of nightmare. One that was more terrifying than being buried underground. And she thought that there couldn't be anything more terrifying than that experience.

She couldn't remember that much about the dreams only of waking up in a cold sweat, frightened to the core. And voices. Voices that were as terrified as she was after awakening.

She hadn't been sleeping much either. Only about two hours, but it didn't feel like she needed anymore than that. And there was the weird cravings she had been having lately. She wondered if this had anything to do with the crystals that had tried to feed on her four months ago.

Laurie stopped at the traffic lights and glanced at the address on the slip of paper. The only places she had ever been to before in Roswell were the hospital, the sheriff's station, and Sheriff Valenti's house. She didn't exactly know her way around town.

She looked around at the junction and bit on her lower lip trying to decide which way to go when she heard a car horn come from behind. The light had changed to green, and putting the car into gear she turned right and travelled down that road. It didn't her long to arrive at the building she had been looking for. Pulling over to the curb she put the handbrake on and switched off the engine. Locking the car behind her she entered the building, only to bump into another figure.

"Sorry," Laurie quickly apologised before she finally saw the other girl's face. Maria DeLuca stood grinning at her with a twinkle in her eye.

"Hey, stranger," Maria hugged her. "How've you been doing?"

"Fine," Laurie smiled coming out of the embrace. "How are you?"

Maria averted her eyes. "Good. Great. I'd stay and hang out but I have to get to work," she said in a hurry.

"Maria, are you all right?" Laurie asked curiously.

Maria stopped on her way out of the door and gave her a sad smile. The twinkle that was in her eyes just a few moments before seemed to have vanished. "Sure. I'm good. Bye."

With that she was gone.

Laurie still looked at the door that Maria had left by, and jumped a little when she heard a voice come from behind.

"Hey."

She turned to see Michael standing on the bottom step of the stairs. His eyes seem to be bright and he gave her a small smile. She had really missed him. Even though they were only together on the road and in Arizona for a little while, Laurie felt a bond with him that he was family. And he was. As far as she was concerned he was her brother and the only family that she wanted to know now.

"Michael," she hugged him tightly, and felt his arms close around her. They stood like this for almost a minute before they pulled back. "I just ran into Maria…" She stopped when Michael's expression turn just as sad as Maria's had.

"What happened?"

"Nothing," Michael shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

She felt like it did matter. Whatever it was it mattered a great deal.

"Do you have any cases?"

Laurie nodded. "Yeah, I've got a suitcase in the car."

"I'll get it," Michael offered before Laurie quickly stopped him.

"No, it's okay I can get it later. I'll have a coffee though if you have any."

Michael nodded and touched her shoulder. "I'm glad you're here, Laurie."

Laurie touched his hand that was resting on her shoulder. "Me too."

Michael nodded again in understanding before walking up the stairs. Laurie glanced at the door that was Maria's exit once more before following Michael up the stairs, unsure if her brother needed to know her own strange situation since he seemed to have problems of his own.

***** 

Alex sighed as he strolled up the path leading to the Evans house. He didn't know why he had let Isabel talk him into this. Why did she think that he needed to get into shape? Well, maybe because Liz had mentioned in front of her that he'd been eating a lot of burgers lately at the Crashdown. What could he say? Lately he had developed an active appetite. He was a hot blooded young guy after all.

He glanced down at himself. Anyway it wasn't like he put on anymore weight. In fact he looked about the same. He felt great too. Better than he did in years. Yep, there was definitely no need for a morning workout, and sure enough once he got up to that door he was going to inform Isabel Evans of that very fact.

He was courageous after all. He'd been managing to stand his ground a lot lately, and not just with Isabel, but everyone. Sweden had done wonders for him. He had felt free with no worries of keeping secrets and watching his step around certain people. He missed Sweden. He missed Leanna more though. But it was a long distance romance that he knew wasn't going to last. And he knew that deep down he still had feelings for Isabel. They weren't as strong as they used to be, but they were there nonetheless.

Before he had the chance to knock on the door, it opened and Isabel stood smiling at him. He tried to stop his jaw from dropping at the sight of Isabel in a sweater and tight shorts. "You look… nice."

"Thank you," she looked him up and down and grinned at him. "You look good in sweats."

He glanced down at himself, hoping that he had managed to duck his head before a blush had managed to flood his cheeks. "See if I already look good then I don't see why I have to do this?"

Isabel rolled her eyes and closed the door. "C'mon, Alex."

She was already jogging down the path, and Alex had to jog to catch up with her. "Seriously, I've never felt better so I don't see why I have to workout."

"Because it's good for you."

"No, it's good for people who enjoy it."

"You'll enjoy it. Just give it time."

"See that's another thing, if you need time to enjoy something then really is it worth enjoying at all."

Isabel sighed as she stopped. "Okay, how about we just take a run around the block, and maybe tomorrow we'll try something a bit more… distant."

Alex felt his heart plummet. "Tomorrow?! We're doing this again tomorrow?"

Isabel rolled her eyes and began to jog away from him. Alex took a deep sigh before following her. They had been jogging for only five minutes before Alex settled into it. Actually it didn't seem too bad. He was jogging with ease and he didn't feel worse for wear. He actually felt like he had been feeling a lot lately… refreshed. Jogging like this, however, was beginning to grate on his nerves. Picking up the pace he moved ahead of Isabel, but it wasn't that long before she was once again at his side. He smirked as he glanced at her and she gave him an irritated look, which didn't ring true since she had a smirk of her own on her lips. He jogged ahead once more, for her to be at his side with ease once again.

He grinned, knowing that Isabel could probably leave him for dust due to her powers. He was sure that speed was one of them. It wasn't like she was Supergirl, but he knew that the aliens could move very quickly. For some unknown reason however he wanted to challenge her. Put her to the test. Just to see how quickly she could move.

Alex gave her a challenging look, only to receive the same look in return. Picking up the pace he broke out into a flat out sprint, and ran at full pace. Isabel overtook him, but surprisingly didn't run too far ahead. Maybe she was letting him think that he could keep up with her. She seemed to be hanging back even more and soon Alex found himself overtaking her. He didn't want to go too far ahead and when it came to the end of the block he planned on letting Isabel win, even though she could do it herself, letting her win seemed to be the gentleman thing to do.

He felt great though. Even breaking into a sprint like this he felt like he could go on for longer. Isabel overtook him, and he didn't know why but he pushed himself forward and took the lead again. Okay now he was beginning to feel the strain. He wanted to stop but something inside him wouldn't let him. He realised that they had been running right around the block and were almost at the Evans again.

He felt his chest tighten and his legs grow tired and allowed himself to fall to his knees on the Evans' front lawn. He was panting hard and clutching his chest. He really shouldn't have broken out in a flat run like he did. He wasn't even sure why he did it. He wasn't at all athletic, and if anything tried to avoid any kind of fitness or sport at all. He looked up to see Isabel beside him doubled up with her hands resting on her legs. She was panting hard, and was that sweat he saw on her. She had broken into a sweat from her run?

"How did you do that?" she panted at him.

Alex frowned trying to catch a breath. "Do what?"

"Run like that?"

"Like what?"

Isabel looked at him curiously. "Alex, I was going flat out… using my… talent," she said between breaths glancing around to see if anyone was watching them. "And you kept up with me."

Alex's eyes widened before he laid back down on the grass and looked u at the clear blue sky above him. This was getting very strange.


	4. Part 4

A/N: Thank you, guys :) Totally appreciate the feedback and I'm glad you're enjoying this :) Okay I've been a bit busy over the past couple of days, but I just managed to get the next part done so here it is :) 

*****

Liz Parker had always considered herself to be a pretty smart person. All throughout her schooling she had been in the top three of her class, and at the moment was in the top two. She always tried to think of a practical solution to any problem that might arise, and when it came to a difficult situation she prided herself on the fact that she could somehow find a way around it. It was simple really. She lived by a method of three things…

_Seek out the problem  
Find a solution to said problem  
Move past said problem_

Of course that method had been flawed off late. Ever since discovering the true origin of Max Evans she was finding it harder each day to live by a method that she had sworn by for most of her life. Yet she tried it anyway. Standing in the Crashdown Café which her parents owned, and where she herself worked as a waitress, Liz tried to decipher her current problem. That was that both Max Evans and Sean DeLuca were sitting together at the counter gladly ignoring each other while stealing glances at her.

Now this was a problem that she so far hadn't been able to solve. And she wasn't sure how she was going to solve this one. Quite frankly she had absolutely no idea whatsoever.

Her problem with these two was complicated. She had been in love with Max, and she was sure that she still was. Even though they have had an ongoing on-off relationship which was currently in the off position, she still had deep feelings for Max, and she was sure that he felt the same. Their connection was intense. She had never felt anything like it before. He made her feel wonderful just by looking at her.

Then there was Sean, who really couldn't be anymore different from the young hybrid. She had been attracted to him ever since she could remember. He was her first crush, and her first kiss though even now he was the only one to know that little fact. She thought their attraction had faded after Sean had been sent to away but once he came back four months ago she had found that their attraction had grown and not flourished. Also she felt carefree when with him. Their connection may not be as intense as it was with Max, but it was still a connection nonetheless.

"Parker?"

Liz was broken out of her thoughts with Sean's voice. A hint of a smile was playing on his lips and Max was glaring at him, looking offended that Sean had addressed her by her surname.

She strolled over and sighed. Her heart was thundering in her chest as both of them turned their attention on her. She didn't know which one was affecting the erratic beat of her heart, but she had a slight suspicion it might be both of them.

"Yes, Sean," she sighed, glancing from the sandy blond haired boy who was highly amused to the younger dark haired one who was anything but.

"Another coffee if you don't mind," Sean smirked. "And I think I might need some more sugar," he held up the empty dish.

Liz's eyes narrowed. "You used all of the sugar?"

Sean shrugged. "Yeah."

"It was half full."

"I have a sweet tooth."

Liz felt a smile on her lips at his response. "Sean, you will be bouncing off the walls in the next few hours. It doesn't do you well for your laid back image if you're Mr. Hyperactive."

"Why, Parker, do you like my laid back image?"

His suggestive tone registered three things with Liz. One, was that she already felt the heat rise in her cheeks and she knew that everyone who was bothering to watch the exchange could also see her blush. Two, Sean was flirting with her in front of Max of all people! And three, Max himself looked like he was holding himself back from using some alien power on Sean, who was deliberately giving her a suggestive smirk that she wanted to knock of his face by either hitting him or kissing him.

Which way she wanted to rid him of his smirk she wasn't sure of because both ways seemed very tempting.

At that moment she had never been so glad to see Isabel Evans as she walked into the Crashdown and sat on the other side of Max. "Max, I have to talk to you."

Max still seemed to be glaring at Sean, and Liz began wishing and was on the verge of praying that he would turn around and talk to his sister to distract himself from Maria's cousin who was now grinning at her.

"Max," Isabel said with more urgency.

This got his attention and he turned around. "What is it?"

"Stop it, Sean," Liz took this chance to reprimand him.

Sean shrugged. "I'm not the one doing anything, Parker."

Liz shook her head, as she poured out coffee into his cup.

"There's something going on… with Alex."

Now this caught Liz's attention. "Is there something wrong with Alex?"

Isabel gave her a look that told her that something was indeed wrong with her best friend, and she felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Hey, Liz!"

Liz abruptly stopped pouring the coffee which had overflowed from the cup and was now spilling onto Sean's jacket sleeve. "Sorry."

"Do I get a discount for this?"

"Shut up, Sean," Liz dismissed him quickly. As Sean began to dab at his sleeve with napkins Liz leaned closer towards Max and Isabel. "What's wrong with Alex? Is he hurt?"

"No…" Isabel shook her head. "He's… able to do things. Things that he shouldn't be able to do."

Liz frowned and exchanged a look with Max and could tell that he was just as confused as she was. Isabel must have noticed their confusion because she lowered her voice and leaned further towards them.

"Things that only _we_," she whispered gesturing between herself and Max, "can do."

Liz took a step backwards. Her mind was left reeling from the news. Alex was able to do things? Alien things? How did this happen? Did something happen to him to cause this? Was he always like this and it was now just kicking in?

The questions turning in her mind were now beginning to be too much. She had all these questions that she need answers for. She had to discover what was behind all of this.

"How can he be… like us?" Max hissed to Isabel.

"I don't know," Isabel answered back in the same tone.

"Parker."

Liz turned to see Sean looking at her expectantly. He was holding up the sugar dish, and apologetically, Liz absent-mindedly began to refill it.

"You okay, Parker?" Sean asked her. While his voice was calm, she could see the concern in his eyes.

"Yeah," she nodded quickly. "Fine."

She put the dish back on the counter and was aware of Sean still watching her, but she was still distracted by the news of her best friend. "Where is he now?" she asked Isabel.

"He's parking the car."  
  
Liz nodded. Good. She would get to see Alex in a few minutes. Maybe something happened to him in Sweden? Her train of thought was interrupted when she noticed that Sean was putting a teaspoonful of sugar into his coffee cup. Her eyes narrowed as she counted six large teaspoonful of sugar being deposited into the cup. She let out a small gasp as he then picked up a bottle of Tabasco sauce and shaking the bottle first, began to pour it into the cup as well.

Max and Isabel looked at her then followed her eyes and looked stunned as Sean finished with the Tabasco sauce and lifted the cup to his mouth and took a sip. Giving an audible sigh of pleasure, he smacked his lips before taking another drink. It wasn't until his third drink that he noticed that they were all watching him.

"What?" he asked clearly confused at their interest in him.

Yeah, something was definitely wrong, Liz thought as Sean shrugged nonchalantly before taking another drink.

*****

As far as Michael Guerin was concerned, life at the moment just absolutely sucked. His relationship with Maria seemed to have hit a rough spot, because obviously if she was getting visions from him and he wasn't getting any in return then obviously she must be closing herself off from him. Also he had to keep his eye on Maxwell who looked ready to punch out that jerk DeLuca who was eyeing up Liz. The King was going to lose it any minute he could tell. Thank God, Isabel had now came in so he could try and concentrate on the burgers he was cooking. He'd been burning the food all day! He shook his head in a hope to clear it, knowing that he would have to get his act together otherwise he could be soon out of a job.

He quickly glanced over to a booth in the corner that seated Laurie, Tess and Kyle. He had asked Tess to keep an eye on Laurie, who had been quite frankly been acting strangely. More than she had ever been on the road. She wasn't being erratic like she was back then, but she wasn't exactly being normal either. He woke up in the middle of the night to find her cleaning his apartment. When he asked her why she found it necessary to clean the apartment at four in the morning, she simply stated that she wasn't tired anymore.

He frowned when Laurie seemingly was asking Kyle for a try of his food, which he had seen the young Buddist pour Tabasco sauce onto. He was just about to go over there and warn Laurie not to touch it, when he noted that Kyle must have warned her about the extra flavour himself. Michael narrowed his eyes at him. He was lucky because if Kyle had to have let Laurie taste that food then Michael was prepared to take Kyle outside and show him just how real his powers were, and even Tess wouldn't have been able to stop him.

Not saying that the food would taste awful, well not to him anyway. But the alien taste buds of having food that's both extremely sweet mixed with extremely spicy didn't hold well with human's taste in food. Unless you were Kyle Valenti who was just a weird shi…

His train of thought was interrupted when Laurie nodded and dipping her own fork into Kyle's meal took a bite. This was it. He expected his sister to spit out the offending food and regret the day that she ever took anything that Kyle Valenti had to offer. But instead she… smiled. She liked it? Kyle gave her a nod of approval while Tess seemed to be as stunned as he was at her reaction. Tess looked over her shoulder to share a look with Michael, and both knew that there was something weird going on.

All thoughts of Laurie disappeared from his mind, however, when the door to the Crashdown opened and Maria and Alex entered. Alex looked around him and sighed upon seeing Liz, Max and Isabel all look at him with concern. He didn't really care what was going on there though, since Maria was looking straight at him. It felt like even from this great distance she was trying to look into his soul, but the thought of her not opening up to him while he was be open with her killed him.

He lowered his eyes and flipped the burgers on the stove. He looked up again and was vaguely aware of Kyle calling out to Alex and walking over towards him while Alex remained at the door, obviously torn between going to Kyle or doing some serious talking with the others which he really didn't look like he wanted to talk about to be honest.

He looked at Maria again who was now walking towards him. She looked beautiful like she always did. But he couldn't talk to her. He wanted to. But after all this time of asking him to open up more, well he must be doing that now. That takes a lot of trust for him to open himself to someone. So she obviously didn't trust him like he did her. Or maybe she didn't feel the same?

Suddenly she stopped and actually looked terrified. It was as if she couldn't move and when she did she quickly looked around her with the same terrified expression. Michael quickly rushed out of the kitchen and was soon standing in front of her.

"Maria?" he put his hands on her shoulders. "Maria?" he began to shake her gently.

Her eyes seemed unfocused as she stared blankly around her. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Kyle was doing the same thing. He was rooted to the spot, with an expression of confusion and fear. Michael looked around him and sure enough Alex and Sean, who was still seated at the counter were acting as strangely as Maria and Kyle were. Liz was shaking Sean's arm, as Max stood up on alert, while Isabel had already rushed over to Alex.

With a nagging thought in the back of his mind he looked over his shoulder to a booth in the corner. His suspicion was right. Tess was touching Laurie's arm, as Laurie looked horrified at whatever was happening and was slowly looking around her as if she could see something that he couldn't. All of them seemed to be like that. Like they could see something was happening to them.

Soon they all quickly looked at each other, and as quickly as they had gotten into this state they slipped out of it. Maria's eyes seemed to clear, but then became suddenly bright with what he realised was unshed tears.

"Michael…"

Michael gathered her in his arms, and pulled her into his chest. "It's okay."

"Kyle!"

He watched as Tess rushed out of the booth towards Kyle who was swaying a little. Alex was nodding absently as Isabel tried to lead him towards a chair, but he kept looking from Sean, to Maria, to Laurie, to Kyle, and would start the rotation all over again.

"What the hell was that?" he heard Sean's voice rise, which was filled with fear and confusion.

That was a question Michael wanted an answer to as well as he tightened his arms around Maria.

TBC...


	5. Part 5

Fear. It was a strong and natural emotion, and one that Kyle had been feeling ever since the day he was healed by Max Evans and realised that aliens were real… and living in Roswell, New Mexico. 

He wasn't scared of the aliens themselves. He would gladly square up against Evans and his moody sidekick, Guerin any day, and while Isabel was know to be an Ice Queen, he never felt there was anything to be scared of… well, apart from when she got that bitchy way that he noticed girls got sometimes. And, Tess? Well, he could never be afraid of someone who cried into his shoulder when she saw Bambi lose his mother for the first time, and refused to ever watch anything like it again.

What did scare him was the thought that by being healed by Max Evans, he could turn into one of them. And that fear seemed to be coming true. After having such a weird couple of weeks, he tried to convince himself that it was just one of these things. Sure he felt fit, without even having to train as much. Sure he had odd eating and drinking habits, but hey he was already mixing Tabasco sauce with potato chips for the past four months now!

But what happened an hour ago in the Crashdown, threw all of his denial out of the window. He had been walking over to Alex when it happened. It wasn't quite sure how it happened but suddenly he felt himself rooted to the spot where he stood, and everything around him began to spin. Then when it slowed down, it really did [i]slow[/i] down. Everyone around him began to move slowly, like time itself had slowed down and he was the only one moving in real time. Well, not the only one. Because as he looked at Alex, he seemed just as shocked as he did over the situation and was able to move in real time too.

It was then he felt a jolt and this incredibly energy go through him, and everything began to grow darker. Everything that is besides a glow that surrounded Alex. Kyle looked around and saw that other people had the glow as well… Sean, Maria, and that Laurie girl all had the same bright blue glow around them that Alex did, and Kyle had looked down at his hand to find the outer glow surrounded him too.

They must have noticed it too as they all looked at each other with the same stunned expression, and soon the darkness faded as the energy disappeared and the people around them came back up to speed.

He was left with a sharp pain where the jolt had stabbed him, and Tess had hurried to his side asking him if he were all right.

And now an hour later he was sitting in Guerin's apartment with everyone else including Sean and Laurie. He felt restless and had been pacing the room ever since he had arrived here. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who couldn't sit as Sean stood by the door, with his hands buried deep into his jean pockets rocking on his heels nervously. Alex stood beside Liz, and Kyle noticed that his knuckles were white from clutching the kitchen counter so hard. Maria and Laurie did manage to sit, however, not comfortably.

Maria look agitated even though Michael was doing his best to calm her down by drawing little circles on her shoulder with his fingers. While Laurie looked even more agitated than Maria, if it were possible. She kept eyeing the front door as if she were ready to make a break for it, but then would clench her fist as if stopping herself from doing so.

Actually he felt like making a bolt for it himself.

"Sit down, Kyle," Isabel ordered clearly irritated at his pacing.

Kyle glared at her, but instead of sitting he stood beside Tess who gave him a reassuring smile.

"So what else did you guys see?" Liz asked them.

"Just us," Alex mumbled, seemingly not really wanting to be there just as much as he did to have this discussion. "Glowing," he added giving them all a look.

"And you felt an energy go through you?" Max was asking them.

This was getting them nowhere and the line of questioning was beginning to grate on Kyle's nerves. They had been going through this for half an hour now. "Yes, and it hurt like hell when it left. We've already told you this!"

"Kyle," Tess was now touching his arm. "We're just trying to find out what's been happening to you."

"I know what's been happening to me! I'm turning into one of you!" As soon as the words left his mouth he regretted them as Tess gave him a hurt look. "I'm sorry…"

She took a step back as if she had been slapped. "It's okay."

He knew it wasn't. "Tess…"

"Um, excuse me…"

Kyle tried to catch Tess's eye again but she had already turned in Sean's direction, just like everyone else.

"Does someone want to tell me what being one of you means?" He then looked at them suspiciously. "What are you, people?"

The others all shared looks, and Kyle was aware of the anxiety that had filled the room. This was the moment of truth where Sean DeLuca would be let in on the secret that Kyle had regretted knowing for the past year. The poor guy didn't know what he was letting himself in for.

Max shared one more look with Isabel, Michael and Tess before turning to Sean. "We aren't from this world. We were brought to Earth in nineteen forty seven and the crash that happened here was real. Alien life forms really did land in Roswell, New Mexico." He swallowed and looked Sean straight in the eye. "Us."

Kyle snorted and rolled his eyes. Evans always had to go for the dramatic affect. Even with Isabel glaring at him he didn't care. Nothing would change the fact that he always thought that Max Evans was a drama queen.

Sean shook his head and tried to laugh, but Kyle knew that after his experience he already knew it was true. "So what're you saying? You're the aliens?"

"Yes," Max nodded seriously. "And you might be too."

Kyle closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. The thing that is more frightening than knowing deep down that you're probably somehow alien, is when someone else voice's that opinion out loud. Now he actually felt the need to sit down.

*****

Alex watched as the people around them gave their own opinions on what was happening to him, and four other people. Something was changing inside him. He could feel it. He had been feeling it for the past two weeks, but now after that jolt in the Crashdown he could feel something changing in his body. He felt a tingle that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he knew whatever went through him was powerful. At the time it seemed that it had disappeared and left just a pain behind, but now that had subsided he felt an energy run through him. One that he couldn't explain. One that he felt he shouldn't explain. Not to anyone who wasn't going through it like him.

"I don't think they were born like this," Liz was saying. "Whatever it is it's just manifesting itself now, and if it happened through birth then someone in their bloodline would have had to be alien."

"Who says they don't have aliens in their family?" Michael piped up from the sofa. "You know like the skins?

"Who?" Sean frowned.

Kyle glared at Michael. "Hey, I don't have little green men in my family. Especially anyone who is evil. I know for a fact that my parents and grandparents are all human."

"Did you ever ask them if they were alien?" Michael quipped.

Alex sighed. This was going to be a fight he knew it.

"Guys, stop," Liz ordered as she stood in between them. "It doesn't make sense for these powers to be given through birth, otherwise Sean and Laurie's powers wouldn't just develop now. They're a year older than the rest of you." She turned to Maria. "You said you've been having nightmares?"

Maria nodded. "Yeah."

"And it was like something bad was happening to you? Like you were being attacked?"

Alex had a sudden flash of being put into a blue room. Everything was blue. The walls, the ceiling, the floors, and the lighting.

"Yeah," Maria nodded suddenly pale. Alex wondered if she just had the same flashes that he did. Why he couldn't bring himself to tell them about the blue room he didn't know.

Liz was now looking at everyone again. "Maybe the reason this is happening now isn't because you were born this way, or through being in contact with Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess. Maybe you were taken by someone?" She looked around darkly. "Or something?"

_Where are we?_

_Please don't..._

_Leave me alone!_

_Stop!_

_HELP!!!!!!!!_

Alex shut his eyes tightly and tried to drown out the screams in his mind.

"What is it?"

Alex opened his eyes again to see everyone looking at him, Maria, Laurie, Kyle and Sean with concern and curiosity. He began to feel panic and fear, and realised that it wasn't just his own he was feeling. It was the feelings belonging to the other four.

"Nothing," Laurie said quickly.

"Just a dizzy spell," Maria added anxiously.

The others looked at the five of them suspiciously, and Alex hoped they weren't going to question them anymore. Maria got up abruptly and quickly crossed towards the front door.

"Where're you going?" Michael asked her standing up.

"I just need to…leave here," Maria said, obviously feeling trapped like he did.

"Maria, we should really discuss this?" Liz said gently.

"I know, Liz, but…" Maria looked at Alex and he nodded in understanding. He knew exactly how she felt. "I can't right now."

She opened the door and Michael reached for his jacket. "I'm coming with you."

Maria paused at the door and slowly turned to Michael. Alex could only see Michael from behind, but he watched as Maria gave a relieved smile. "Thank you."

Michael nodded and Maria walked out of the door. Max reached out a hand to stop the taller alien. "Michael, we really should discuss this more."

"It's whatever she wants, Maxwell," Michael stated putting on his denim jacket. "She'll talk when she's ready."

Max seemed like he wanted to argue this more, but Liz touched his arm to prevent him, and Max let Michael go. Isabel shared a look with Michael and nodded her understanding as Michael left the apartment.

"Well, there doesn't seem to be any need for me to hang around here," Sean said as he looked at Liz who still had her hand resting on Max's arm. She looked at him and quickly dropped her hand which made Max look from her to Sean.

"Can I have a ride back into town?" Tess asked from where she was standing with Kyle. Alex felt a pang of guilt, and realised just by looking at him that it was coming from Kyle. He glanced at Sean, who winced, and knew he must have felt it too.

"Sure. Kyle you coming?"

"Yeah, sure."

Tess quickly followed Sean out of the apartment while a gloom looking Kyle trailed behind them. Alex gave a small sigh as Max and Liz looked awkwardly around each other. Isabel shared a look with him and he knew she was thinking the same thing he was. If these two were ever going to work out they'd have to sort things out between them soon.

The side door to the apartment closed and he realised that Laurie had already slipped out of there virtually unnoticed when they had been distracted by Max and Liz. He felt bewilderment and confusion and wondered if it was his own he was feeling or hers. As Isabel tried to strike up a conversation about what was happening to break the tension in the room, Alex quietly left by the same exit as he didn't really want to answer anymore questions.

Laurie was sitting on the step to the apartment, and glanced up as Alex closed the door behind him. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

She shook her head, and Alex sat down beside her on the step. He wasn't sure what to say. He had never spoken to Laurie before and they were basically strangers. All he knew about her was that she was a blood relative of Michael's because her grandfather had been the hybrid's human donor. Also he once thought she had been nothing more than a fugitive who was leading Maria into trouble four months ago.

Of course she hadn't been, but still that's what he thought at the time.

He felt this need, however, to talk to someone. The most obvious choice would have been Liz or Maria. But Liz hadn't been through what he was experiencing and Maria had taken off. Also it looked like she wanted to be alone with Michael. The next choice would have been Isabel or one of the other aliens, but somehow there was something holding him back, a nagging doubt in the back of his mind telling him that he shouldn't share just yet with the royal four.

Then there was Kyle who had also taken off. He would gladly talk to him, but at the same time it looked like Kyle might have some problems at home tonight with Tess. It wasn't lost on Alex the look she gave the young Buddist for his outburst earlier. When he was ever going to learn to think before he spoke, Alex didn't know.

It didn't take long for Alex to decide to talk with after being left with the choices of either Sean or Laurie. Actually his decision was quick and swift. He could either choose someone who had bullied him when he was younger and hadn't done anything to redeem himself since then, even though Liz would disagree with that statement. Or he could just talk to a complete and utter stranger.

Yep, the choice was already made for him. And now he was sitting here with Laurie, not sure how to begin this conversation that he could feel that she wanted to have too.

"Are you scared?" she asked him without looking at him.

Alex hadn't been asked that yet. After been asked question after question for what seemed an eternity, no one had bothered to ask him that. "Yeah," he nodded.

Laurie looked at him and he saw in her eyes the same fear and turmoil as he felt. 

"Are you?"

She nodded slowly without saying a word. Alex nodded knowingly. He did know and understand how she felt, and he was sure that Maria, Kyle, and Sean were feeling the same way. Even now that they had gone, he could still feel their fear.

"Do you think they'll come back?" Laurie was looking at her hands.

She didn't have to say who _they_ were. He knew exactly who they were. He had nightmares about them only a week ago. "I don't know," he sighed. "But I think they will."

Laurie finally turned to him once more, this time with a grim expression. "So do I."


	6. Part 6

A/N: Thanks to everyone who had left feedback. I really appreciate it :) I promise that any questions will be answered in future parts, as I don't want to give away any spoilers at the moment ;)

***** 

A beetle crawled across the stones and stopped as it reached the merry-go-round. Sitting on a swing across from it was Maria, and she watched as it decided to crawl under what had been the source of her enjoyment throughout her childhood, and the beetle hid inside the darkness. She frowned as she thought she saw an outer glow now emanate from the insect, and blinked but the beetle had now disappeared further under the merry-go-round.

Great. She was now seeing things too. Another weirdness to add to the ever growing number that had been happening to her lately.

She allowed herself to sway a little on the swing, which gave her little movement as her feet stayed firmly on the pebbles beneath her. She saw a pebble skittle across the playground and land a few feet from the merry-go-round. Maria turned to look at Michael standing at the monkey bars as he kicked another pebble.

He looked frustrated. She felt a pang of guilt knowing that she was the cause of his frustration.

She had been feeling guilt a lot lately, and she had this strange feeling that it wasn't only coming from her. She was sure she could feel what Kyle, Alex, Laurie and Sean were feeling. She didn't know how she could feel it, but she knew she was somehow connected to them. To their emotions. If one of them felt sad, she felt it too. If one of them was scared… well, she had been feeling that from them all to be honest.

Another pebble was kicked wildly across the playground, and Maria bit the inside of her cheek. She should probably add anger to frustration for the way Michael was feeling. She didn't even feel his emotions like she did the others, but she didn't have too. She was already attuned to the emotions of Michael Guerin. She had spent over a year working out how he was feeling, and even when he hid his emotions from everyone, to her he was now like an open book.

More pebbles landed next to the others. Now hurt was added to the list. She lowered her gaze so that she wouldn't be tempted to look at her boyfriend. She knew was hurting him, causing his frustration and making him pissed as hell. She was keeping secrets from him. She wasn't telling him everything. And at the moment, Maria wanted to tell Michael everything.

She couldn't. Something was holding her back. And what that was she didn't know.

She wanted to tell him about the blue room that she had flashes of back in his apartment. She wanted to tell him about the feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her that she really had been taken… by something. And she wanted to tell him that she felt something powerful go through her, changing within, and it scared her even more than being kidnapped. She wanted to tell Michael all of that, and the fact that she couldn't was killing her.

Maria knew what he was thinking. She knew ever since she had gotten visions from him, that he had been thinking that she didn't want to open up to him because he hadn't gotten any from her. He might have guessed that it was through whatever was happening to her now, but the fact that she wasn't talking to him… now she really was not opening up to him.

And she wanted to.

Dammit! Why did aliens have to choose to take her to God knows where? Why not someone else!

The sound of the pebbles bouncing against each other made Maria close her eyes. "Please stop this, Michael," she sighed.

After several minutes of silence, Maria opened her eyes to see Michael looking at her intently. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asked clearly confused at what her apology was for.

"For this. For not being able to tell you everything."

"You could if you wanted to?" Michael's gaze didn't falter.

Maria shook her head sadly. "I can't."

Michael paused as if wanting to say something, then nodded and glanced away. "Maybe later."

"No, Michael," Maria gripped the chain on the swing as he looked back at her. "I don't think… I don't know… if I ever can."

Michael's eyes darkened. He shook his head and turned away. "Fine."

"And now you're mad," she sighed.

"Well, what do you expect, Maria!" he turned back to her, and she could see the fury blazing in his eyes. "For over a year now I've been getting told that I'm not a good boyfriend, that I'm not how Max is with Liz or Alex was with Isabel. And now if there's anything that's important I've told you first, before Max, Isabel and Tess, and now that you've got something important going on, something that could hurt you, [i]you're[/i] shutting [i]me[/i] out…" Michael trailed off as he shook his head bitterly.

Maria gaped at him. She didn't expect this outburst. Then again maybe she did. "I want to tell you."

"Then why don't you?" Michael snapped.

"Because there's something happening inside of me that won't let me!" Maria exploded as she stood up, her anger getting the better of her and hoped that she could keep her tears at bay. "Don't you understand, I have no control over what's happening to me! I'm doing things that I shouldn't, and remembering things that scare the hell out of me, Michael, and I want to tell you everything!" She could feel the wetness of her tears on her cheeks now. "But I can't," she said dejectedly.

She quickly wiped her tears away. She didn't want to cry. At the moment Michael didn't deserve her tears. She was too busy trying to keep her emotions in check that she startled when she felt Michael's arms go around her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair.

She wrapped her arms around his waist. "I don't know how to deal with this."

Maria closed her eyes as Michael gently kissed her forehead. "We'll get through this."

She nodded as she held his gaze and felt his thumb wipe away another tear, before he pulled her into an embrace and she finally let out all the emotions she had been feeling this past week as she sobbed in Michael's arms.

*****

Max Evans hadn't ever felt so helpless before in his young life. Here he was King of an entire planet, and he couldn't stop whatever it was that was happening to five innocent people. Some leader he was. If he couldn't help five people here on Earth then how was he supposed to help an entire race?

He glanced at the time on the wall then rubbed the tiredness from his eyes. It was already after eleven. He was sitting in the Crashdown with Liz and Isabel, and since the café had closed for the night just over an hour ago they could freely talk about the situation at hand.

That was who had abducted Alex, Maria, Laurie, Kyle and Sean? They had come to the conclusion earlier that they must have been taken, because there was no other answer for it. The question now was who had taken them. And for what reason.

The obvious suspect at the moment was Kivar. He ruled Antar, the planet which Max was king of in a former life, and he could have taken the five of them. And it wouldn't surprise Max if Kivar's second in command, Nicolas, had arranged the abduction somehow. Max knew that the aliens had ways of abducting humans. His employer at the UFO Centre, Brody Davis, has had his body took over by Larek at various times. And at one point must have had his whole body taken somewhere to be cured of the cancer cells that had gripped him at one time.

Also each of the hybrids had human donors. So people like Laurie's grandfather who was Michael's human donor, also must have left this world for some period of time.

But why take these five people now? What was the purpose of that? Was it because they were close to himself, Michael, Isabel and Tess? If so then why take Sean instead of Liz? His thoughts trailed off as he thought of the encounter between Sean and Liz earlier that day.

Sean had the nerve to flirt with Liz in front of him! And why did Liz pull back her hand when she was touching his arm and look at Sean like that? Did she… like Sean?

Max tried to swallow the lump in his throat at the thought of the girl, who he had been in love with for most of his life, might have feelings for someone else. He glanced at her as she talked with Isabel about the abduction. The abduction?

Focus Max, he reprimanded himself. He had more important things to worry about at the moment than his love life. He still couldn't help the pain in his chest at the thought of Sean and Liz, but he had to push that to the back of his mind right now.

That was something to worry about later.

"But, even if it was Kivar then why would he want them?" Liz was saying, and Max shook his head to try and clear his thoughts and bring himself back into the conversation.

"Who knows how his mind works," Isabel said averting her eyes from both of them.

Max knew that the mere mention of Kivar was making his sister uncomfortable. She did once betray her family in a former life for the love of this man. And Max knew that she had been carrying the guilt of those past deeds around with her ever since she had discovered them.

"But when did he take them?" Liz bit on her lower lip as she considered her own question. "There's a possibility that Alex could have been taken sometime in Sweden, and perhaps Sean before he came to Roswell…"

Max wondered at that moment if Kivar really hated him that much? If he was the one who inflicted Sean DeLuca upon him, and actually made him come to town to begin with.

"Same can be said about Laurie," Liz continued, oblivious to Max's thoughts. "It could have happened just before or just after the crystals, but what about Maria or Kyle? They were here the whole time."

"What about Vegas?" Isabel wondered. "Were they with someone at all times?"

"Yeah, I think they were with Alex at one point or another." Realisation then hit the petite brunette. "Oh, my, God, they were with Alex…"

Isabel sighed. "Who was also abducted by aliens. I guess it happened there then."

"We should probably ask Amy DeLuca if Sean went missing at all when we were away," Max finally piped up.

Liz and Isabel nodded. Liz then looked around the empty café. "What I want to know is what made them see those things earlier today? What slowed down time for them? And what did that energy that they felt do?"

Max and Isabel shared a look wondering the same thing.

"What triggered it?"

Max shrugged. "Being in the same room?"

"No," Isabel shook her head. "Alex was standing at the door for a minute and nothing happened." She then glanced at the area. "There must be something else."

Liz stood up and looked towards the door. "Maybe it was how they were standing or sitting? Like in a formation? Alex was standing at the door, Kyle was walking towards him from this side," she pointed at the space next to Max at the booth. Laurie was over there in the corner, and at the other end Maria was walking over to Michael, and Sean was over there with us…"

"Liz…" Max stood up. Everything seemed clear now as he looked around, trying to imagine how the five of them were positioned. Of course, he should have seen it earlier. "Do you have a pen?"

Liz turned to him and frowned. "What?"

"I need something to write with," Max said in a hurry as he pulled out a napkin from the holder at the back of the table.

"Max, what is it?" Isabel asked curiously as she stood up.

As soon as Liz handed him a pen, Max quickly drew five circles in the formation that Liz had pointed out. He then drew two lines through the circles joining them up to form a triangle.

"Oh, my, God," Liz whispered, stunned at what she was seeing.

"It's the formation of the stars of our planets," Isabel seemed as stunned as Liz was.

Max nodded. He had a sinking feeling about why five humans that knew them had been taken. "We need to know what the energy bolt did…"

"It sent out a signal."

The three of them looked up to see Brody Davis standing at the door.

"How did you get in here?" Liz asked him suspiciously.

Brody shook his head with a smile. There was something about him that seemed different somehow. He soon realised that it wasn't his employer at all. It was Larek, an alien from one of the planets in the formation.

"What kind of signal?" Max asked with concern.

"One that's going to get your friends in a lot of trouble," Larek stated matter-of-factly. "And, it's not just Kivar who'll be coming for them," he added grimly.


	7. Part 7

A/N: Sorry this took a while to put up but I've been offline for a few days and I only just finished it and gave it a once over. You have permission to throw things at me if a chapter keeps asking more questions instead of answering them. You know anyway that answers will come in future parts though! :) 

Thanks for all the feedback guys! Truly appreciated :) 

Okay onto part 7!

*****

Tess Harding stared blankly down at the page that she was looking at. She had spent most of the day trying to figure out what it was that had happened to Kyle, Alex, Maria, Sean and Laurie, and she came to the conclusion that what Liz had said at the meeting this morning was the only possible answer. Abduction. Now she had spent most of the night trying to figure out who abducted them. Kivar was the obvious suspect, but she wasn't prepared to rule out anyone else. They did come from a world that had four neighbouring planets after all.

She sighed and tapped her pencil on the page. Making a list of everything that she knew about their world wasn't getting her anywhere. But it was the only thing she could think of to help. Why did someone want to kidnap Kyle? And the others too of course.

It's not like he was anyway involved in the fight back in Antar. He was only human. Why take him? To distract them? Was it because he was important to her? Just like Jim was, and Maria and Laurie were to Michael? Maybe Alex was important to Isabel after all? They did seem to be getting along fine nowadays. But why not take Liz? Why take Sean, who Tess was pretty sure wasn't important to Max? This really didn't make sense at all.

And why the hell give them powers? What was the purpose of that? Kyle didn't even want them! He had made that perfectly clear today.

She tightened her grip on the pencil as she absently began to jot down some more facts that she remembered from her past life. She knew Kyle had problems with the aliens before, but she never expected him to say what he did. He was disgusted at the thought of becoming like one of them.

Becoming like her.

She felt her emotions stir and was determined to keep them at bay. She always knew that he didn't want to become like her, so why did him saying it today make any difference? Maybe it was because she thought that things were changing between them? Well, it had been these past few months. She felt the air between them change and she knew that her feelings were beginning to deepen. She thought his might be too. But then again maybe not. He wouldn't want to be with a freak like her anyway…

Tess glanced up when she heard a soft knock at her bedroom door. "Who is it?"

"Kyle."

Damn. She really didn't feel like facing him at the moment. His words from earlier still stung even now.

"Can I come in?"

"No," she said firmly and turned back to writing on the page.

"C'mon, Tess, I need to talk to you."

"Kyle, we can talk later." Much, much later, she thought bitterly.

"Are you undressing?"

What was he turning into a pervert now? "No," she said with disgust.

The door opened and Kyle stepped into the room. The nerve of this guy! Coming into her bedroom after she specifically told him not to. "What're you doing?" she demanded.

"What?" he looked confused. "You weren't doing anything."

"That's not the point. I told you to stay out."

Kyle stood uneasy by the closed door. "I need to explain for what happened earlier…"

Tess rolled her eyes. Here comes the apology for what he said when she knew in his heart he meant every word. "You don't have to apologise, Kyle, for saying what you feel."

"Yes, I do."

"Why?" she looked up and met his eyes. "Why say sorry for something that you believe in?"

"Because it hurt you," he said sincerely.

He did look truly sorry. She could see it in his eyes. The way that he looked at her made her want to reach out to him for some reason she couldn't explain. He looked like a kid who wanted to be told that everything was okay. He looked so adorable at the moment that Tess had a hard time holding onto her anger, even though she tried to.

The big jerk.

"It's okay," she nodded finally relenting, though it still hurt.

Kyle looked at her curiously. "Really?"

"Yeah," Tess nodded forcing a small smile that she knew hadn't reached her eyes. "It's fine."

Kyle sighed and sat down beside her on the bed. "I really am sorry."

Tess nodded again, this time allowing herself to reach out to him and touch his leg. "I know."

Kyle looked down at her hand, and Tess was now unsure of herself. Did he want her to remove it? Had she crossed a line? Sure they were getting closer but maybe he didn't want… All thoughts left her mind as Kyle took her hand in his and began to caress it with his thumb.

She felt her hand tingle as he began to draw little circles on the back of it. The caress was gentle and as the tingle grew she thought it was the most wonderful feeling in the world. "Kyle?"

"Uh-huh," he kept his eyes down on her hand as he now began to caress her fingers. Boy, he sure knew how to make it hard for her to concentrate on asking him any questions. But this one had been nagging at her for months now.

"Why are you scared of having powers?"

The caress stopped, but he kept her hand in his. He looked up at her. "Cause they don't belong to me. It's unnatural…" she began to pull her hand away, but he closed his hand around hers. "…for me it's not right."

She lowered her eyes and felt her heart sink. He really did think she was a freak. She felt the tears sting at her eyes and willed them to disappear. She swallowed the lump in her throat as Kyle began to caress the hand he held once more.

"Tess…" he said gently.

Tess looked up at him as he looked sheepishly down at her hand.

"Of course what you are is natural for you, I know that. But you were always that way. I wasn't born like that. And when something starts to change in you, believe me it scares the hell out of you."

It was now her turn to squeeze his hand. "I'm sorry, Kyle."

Kyle nodded and seemed to be thinking something over. "You don't think I'll become like one of those annoying little aliens you see on TV do you?"

She giggled softly and patted his hand with her other hand. It was good he hadn't lost his sense of humour. "No, Kyle, 'cause you already have an annoyingness that you can call your own."

He laughed and glanced at her then jumped back on the bed so abruptly that he made her jump with a start. His eyes widened and he looked at her intently with a stunned expression.

She narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"You're glowing," he said in a whisper.

She felt that tingle that was in her hand go through her whole body. It was times like this that she was reminded why Kyle was her favourite human. She knew she had a silly grin on her face. "Thanks."

Kyle shook his head. "No, seriously, you're really glowing."

The grin faded. "What?"

"You're… blue."

Tess frowned at him as he still looked at her with a mixture of awe and confusion.

*****

Sean pulled his car over to the curb and sighed as he switched of the ignition. It sure had been a long day. In fact it seemed to be the longest day in his life. The reason for that was pretty simple. It wasn't everyday that you found out that four people living in the same town as you happen to be aliens, hybrid, or whatever they wanted to call themselves, and two of those people also happen to be your cousin's boyfriend, and the ex-boyfriend of the girl you have an interest in. Oh, and lets not forget the little detail that he himself had also became somewhat Morkish.

He got out of the car and began to walk up the path leading to the DeLuca house. He frowned at what he saw. There were quite a few fireflies at the light by the front porch, which was normal. What was strange, however, was that each firefly seemed to be glowing different colours. He blinked as the colours mixed with each other and he saw various shades of blue, green, purple, yellow, orange, and other colours too.

What got weirder was that as he got closer to could have sworn that they weren't fireflies at all. They were… moths. How the hell did moths glow? He wasn't that good at biology but he definitely knew that that wasn't supposed to happen!

Sean shook his head as he walked through the front door. The DeLuca living room was empty but he could hear music coming from Maria's bedroom. So she must be home then. Also different music was coming from the kitchen, which meant that Aunt Amy was home too.

"Sean?" he heard his Aunt's voice call out over the sound of the radio. "Is that you?"

"Yeah," he called back.

"Good you're just in time," Amy DeLuca walked into the room. "Dinner is almost ready."

Sean gaped at his Aunt. She had a green glow surround her and she was now frowning at him, and he noticed that blotches of grey were invading the green.

"What is it?" she asked him curiously.

He wished at the moment he could remember how to talk as he felt his throat dry up. He coughed and blinked hoping that he would see clearly again since this definitely one of those things that weren't normal. Nope she still had the green glow.

"Nothing," he lied. "You just look… um, radiant."

His Aunt gave him a beaming smile for that one, and the grey disappeared and became fully green again. "Why thank you, Sean."

"You're welcome," he forced a small smile.

"Dinner will be in ten minutes," she walked back into the kitchen.

Sean buried his face in his hands. God, he really was becoming alien. He wondered if he would have ears like Spook? Or maybe the annoyingness of Alf? Or worst of all… hair like Chewie?

His imagination soon got the better of him and he opened his eyes again… and regretted it instantly. He now had a blue glow that was shimmering around his arms. One moment it would be there and the next it would be gone. He rushed to the mirror that hangs on the living room wall and while he could only see himself from the waist up, the glow was all around him. It was still coming and going and he glanced down at his lower half to see that the glow covered his whole body. As he looked back into the mirror the glow stopped shimmering and now stayed completely.

The door down the hall opened and Sean turned to see Maria watching him. She was leaning against the wall, arms folded, looking as if she wasn't bothered at all that she had a brighter shade of blue glow around her.

"You're blue?" he said incredulously. "And I am too," he looked back at his reflection.

"No," Maria spook matter-of-factly. "You're sapphire and I'm a sparkling blue. It's our auras."

"What?"

She gasped, annoyed that he didn't realise what she was talking about. "Our auras! It's what surrounds us, and it expresses our feelings. Everyone has one. And now we can see them," she said with smile. "Isn't it great?" she added with a giggle.

"Yeah, great," Sean replied with less enthusiasm.

"I've been seeing it since I got home, well actually I saw it in the playground with a beetle but I didn't realise what it was then and I thought I was just seeing things…"

"Yeah, that can happen," Sean mumbled not paying attention to her ramblings and instead examining his aura which now had blotches of grey in it like his Aunt's had earlier.

"Anyway I first noticed it when Mom had this glow around her, by the way hers is emerald so don't be calling it green since it's not and yes there's a difference," she corrected him as he was about to ask that very question. "And it's been cool watching her. When she's worried she gets these grey spots in her aura kind of like you have now, and it was only two minutes before you came home that my own lovely aura kicked in, nice isn't it? The colour definitely fits my personality."

"Yeah, great," Sean replied again still not paying attention to his cousin.

"Sean!" Maria shouted at him causing him to jump.

"What?"

Maria sighed. "You really don't have to worry about this."

Sean shrugged. "I'm not worried."

"Then why is your aura getting more and more grey?"

Oh. So it looks like his emotions were going to be an open book from now on. Well, at least to four other people. He wondered if they had the glow yet?

"Really, this is a good thing," Maria smiled at him. "Just think? We can tell how everyone's feeling now. No one can hide anything from us."

Sean's eyes shot up at this. That was true. He wondered if he should pay Liz Parker a visit. Ever since he returned to Roswell four months ago he had been feeling like he was receiving mixed signals from Maria's best friend. The telephone rang and Maria picked it up. "Hello? Hey, Lizzie…"

He smiled as Maria started to ramble on again about auras. He looked at himself in the mirror and he noticed that most of the grey was already receding. The sapphire in his aura was almost whole again. He began to wonder what colour Liz's aura was when he heard a curse come from the kitchen. As soon as he walked into the small kitchen he could see what it was that had made his Aunt Amy swear. She stood at the sink with her forearm under the tap as cold water poured onto a nasty looking burn the size of a quarter.

Aunt Amy glanced at him. "Damn handle came off."

He frowned then looked down at the floor. A pot was lying and potatoes were scattered on the tiles as was hot water. "I'll get that."

As his aunt nodded Sean crouched down and began to put the potatoes back into the broken pot. He looked over his shoulder as Maria appeared at the door. She had grey blotches in her aura and had the same pale look that she wore in Guerin's apartment this morning.

"What is it?"

"We have to go."

"Dinner is almost, or was almost ready so whatever it is will have to wait," his aunt interrupted. "Maria, cut up some potatoes and we'll have fries instead."

"But, mom…"

Aunt Amy gave her a stern look. "Maria."

Sean watched the exchange with interest. He had lived with these two women long enough to know that both could be as stubborn as the other. He also knew that whatever Liz had told Maria on the telephone must have been important. Enough to make her worry as the grey continued to grow and overwhelm the sparkling blue that was there only minutes before.

Suddenly an image flashed into his mind. Maria stood before him, looking grave. He blinked and the image vanished as quickly as it had emerged. The two women were continuing to argue, but soon their voices drifted away and only Maria's returned.

"Sean! Help me!"

He felt nauseous as he closed his eyes on the piercing scream that followed. The images were soon coming thick and fast.

The blue room. Everything was blue from the floor, the walls, the ceiling, and the lighting. Flashes of faces came into his mind so quickly that at first he couldn't see who they were. Then other images of the people flashed again. Sean knew who they were. He was seeing Maria, Kyle, Alex and Laurie. They were all in the blue room.

But they weren't together. There was something separating them. He couldn't tell what it was but he felt caged.

He couldn't get out. He needed to get out.

Then they were there. He couldn't see who they were but they wanted him. They were going to hurt him.

"Noooooooooooo!"

"Sean?"

Sean felt himself break into a cold sweat. He realised that he must have screamed out loud. He was now finding it hard to breath as the fear that he felt from the memory gripped him. His Aunt was kneeling beside him and her aura was covered in the grey blotches. He glanced at Maria and the dark grey had completely taken over any blue that was in her aura. He glanced down at his hands and he could that his own aura matched his cousin's.

"Take deep breaths," his Aunt encouraged him in a gentle tone.

"Mom…"

"Not now, Maria," Aunt Amy snapped, obviously done with the earlier argument.

"We have to tell you…" Maria said in a small voice. Sean now noted that she was sweating too, and the fear was evident in her face. She must have had the same flashes too. "We have to tell you something."

This caught her attention and Aunt Amy looked to her daughter and Sean could see her aura cloud even more.

"We were taken… by… something," Maria's voice was beginning to crack. "And I think they're coming back."

At this Maria gripped the kitchen counter with one hand while she covered her mouth with the other, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed. Aunt Amy was instantly at her side and took her into her arms. Sean allowed himself to lie down fully onto the cold kitchen floor and as he looked up at the ceiling he felt tears sting at his own eyes as the screams continued to fill his mind.

He had been gripped with both fear and pain. They all had. And whatever had taken them before was coming back for them. And Sean had a sinking feeling that they would be hurt once more.


	8. Part 8

A/N: Thanks guys for the feedback :) Sorry about the long wait for this part, but I had problems trying to write Isabel's POV while tying it in with the information that Larek would be given them. It's a short part but hopefully you'll like it. 

*****

The light was dim in the Crashdown Café as four people sat around a booth, and three of those people were engrossed in what the fourth had to say. Isabel Evans sat beside Larek, the alien life form who at the moment possessed the body of Brody Davies, while her brother and his former girlfriend sat on the other side of the table, all of them were listening intently to what the alien had to say.

"The reason your friends were taken was probably because they were linked to you, you do realise that don't you?" he was asking looking at both her and Max.

"We figured that out," Max said quietly.

Isabel felt a pang of guilt knowing that from just knowing them Alex and the others had been taken against their will, just because they happened to know the royal four.

"Why?" she asked him. "Is this just a sick way to get to us?"

Larek shook his head. "No. I think it's more important than that. They needed them for a reason, but what reason that is I don't know yet."

"If they five were taken because of their link to Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess, then why…" Liz shared a look with Max before returning her gaze to Larek. "…wasn't I taken?"

Isabel looked at the older alien. She had considered this question and wondered why Liz was left behind yet someone like Sean DeLuca who wasn't close to them was taken.

"On our planets we are advanced enough to be able to track humans that we choose at random," Larek began to explain. "That's how we are able to identify humans who are suitable to be used as hosts like I'm using this body now. But whenever a human has been changed somehow by alien cells like this body has, then it can no longer be tracked except by the person who will use that body."

Max frowned. "Brody has alien cells in him?"

"Yes."

"So he has powers now?" Isabel was curious to know.

"No," Larek told her. "But he only has enough alien cells so he can be tracked by me. We're able to track humans by their biological makeup rather than an internal device as we've found it more effective."

Liz clasped her hands together on the table. "So what you're saying is that I have alien cells in me now?"

Isabel noticed Max look at Liz, but she continued to look ahead at Larek. Isabel wondered if she was deliberately refusing to face her brother.

"When Max healed you, he did also change some of your cells from human to alien. And since then those cells have been changing more of your human cells to alien ones. So now you are off our radar so to speak."

Liz nodded understandably but Isabel noted the fear of the unknown that was etched in her features. It was a look she had seen a quite a bit of today. Max put his hand over both of hers and Liz allowed it to stay there. Isabel turned back to Larek in a bid to no longer invade the intimate moment.

"So you can't track anyone with alien cells unless you're going to use that body?"

"That's correct," Larek nodded. "That is why the skins had a hard time finding you four, and why even your protector couldn't track you after you were left wherever it was he hid you."

"And if no one could track us, then that means they couldn't track Alex, Maria, Sean, Kyle and Laurie after they were changed," Liz stated.

"That's correct," Larek nodded. "That's why they had been programmed to send out a signal to let whoever took them know that they were now all together for the first time since their abduction."

Max looked concerned. "Programmed?"

"It wasn't a coincidence that they stood in a formation that would send out a signal to another planet. In their self-consciousness they were probably instructed to do so once they had come in contact again. Here in Roswell."

Isabel gave a sideway glance at the others. "What else could they have been programmed to do?"

"Whatever it was they were taken for. Their purpose isn't known to me yet. They were taken for a reason."

"Could that reason be to harm Max, Isabel, Michael or Tess?" Liz asked grimly. Isabel could tell that she noted her look of disgust at such a notion that Alex and the others would ever harm them. "No, hear me out," Liz defended herself. "Like Larek said it's not a coincidence that it's five people who know you guys that were taken by someone… or something. There must be a reason for that. It must have something to do with you."

Isabel felt anger build up inside of her at such a thought. Alex wouldn't harm her. A memory from long ago of them sitting in a booth only further down from where she was now came to mind. Alex had promised to protect her, and she had believed him. Even now that they were only friends she still believed in that promise.

And she was about to state that fact when Larek spoke. "She's right," he said grimly. "They could be a threat to you. You can't trust them."

Isabel felt her stomach sink to the floor. She felt sick at the thought of Alex and the others being used as pawns in a war that they had nothing to do with. And it was by knowing them they were brought into it.

All of them turned when they heard a soft knock on the doors to the Crashdown. Alex stood and gave an anxious smile waiting to be let in. He looked so lost. So harmless. And now she was being told that he wasn't to be trusted.

At that moment Isabel Evans hated the royal blood that was running through her veins and all the pain that being Vilandra brought to the people of Roswell, New Mexico.


End file.
